8 Powerful Ways to Stand Out at Work - Career Advice Blog for Millennials

8 Powerful Ways to Stand Out at Work - Career Advice Blog for Millennials If you’ve just started your first grownup office job, you probably don’t have your ideal position quite yet. More likely than not, you’re making copies and editing spreadsheets for the person who has your dream job, or at least a job more interesting and fulfilling than your own. If you think that working hard, putting in extra hours and submitting on-par results will get you noticed in the office, think again. In addition to being an exemplary employee, being a memorable one is just as important, if not more. If you’re not quite sure how to get noticed at work, read on to find out. Make Connections Outside of Your Department Your department is just one small piece of the office, and if you only associate with that piece, your in-house network becomes pretty small. If you choose not to socialize or make connections outside of your department, you could lose amazing opportunities to establish camaraderie with other employees, help other departments when you can and work on cross-functional projects, all which will help make you stand out. Volunteer For Special Projects We all know that one employee in the office: The one who volunteers for everything, works 80 hours each week and loves to boast about it. While volunteering for assignments shows initiative, volunteering for too many can turn you into a doormat that your superiors will walk all over any chance they get. Instead of the latter, show initiative and make a name for yourself at work by volunteering for special projects, and produce outstanding work.   Make the Most of Meetings While always too lengthy and often pointless, meetings are a necessary evil when it comes to corporate work. Instead of sitting silently and pretending to pay attention, turn meetings into an opportunity to make your mark at work. By speaking up during meetings with insightful and intelligent comments, you will be noticed more in the office and your opinions will be more respected and well received.   Don’t Fear Your Boss Unless your good karma paid off and you’re blessed with a kind, down-to-earth and approachable boss, your superiors may be a little intimidating, if not downright frightful. However, don’t let fear get in the way of speaking to your boss, as communication with the higher-ups at your company can help you get noticed. Some bad bosses may require a unique approach, so know what type of boss you’re dealing with in order to communicate effectively. Don’t Be a People Pleaser Contrary to popular belief, being a yes man at work won’t secure you a promotion or a raise. Saying yes to your co-workers’ every request will only make you busy, exhausted and overworked. Instead, if your superiors or co-workers ask you to do something, think twice before saying yes. By declining extra work to make sure you produce quality work in other areas your integrity and work ethic will be noticed. Make Time to Relax It’s true that people who are happy are more creative and produce better work. So, if you’re working 60 or more hours each week, getting little sleep and feeling stressed, your quality of work will suffer. Instead, to make sure you are consistently producing excellent work, give yourself time to relax. Create Your Own Tasks If you feel like you aren’t being challenged in your job, create new productive and helpful tasks for yourself. Whether it’s organizing your company’s data or creating new processes in your department, your initiative will not go unnoticed. Be Positive In an office where stress and pessimism run wild, do your best to stay positive. By consistently looking on the bright side and finding a silver lining, you will show your coworkers that you believe in and support your company. This will undoubtedly help you make your mark at work. Let’s face it, if you’re aiming for a promotion or a raise, it’s key to make your mark in the office. When hard work and people pleasing don’t pay off, standing out at work in other ways is essential. So whether you choose to speak up at meetings, be a beacon of positivity or simply say no, your words and actions in the office can help you stand out and climb the corporate ladder.